“Lady Elizabeth Darcy, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Lord Ben Darcy and Lord George Bennet-Darcy. More importantly, boys, this is your Mama, the most beautiful one in the world. I will tell you a secret,” he said conspiratorially to his sons, “she is also already the best mother in the world as she is yours, but I would not boast about that around the Fitzwilliams so very much,” he teased. His tease caused her fine eyes to shine as she laughed so their sons could hear that most perfect sound first.
After holding and kissing each of her sons, her husband returned them to the wet nurses and then returned carrying little Lady Franny. She let them know in the loudest way that she was not impressed at being disturbed. All was forgiven as she was soon suckling happily at her mother’s breast. Lady Elizabeth found it a very fulfilling bonding experience, and she agreed that she would be the primary source of nourishment for little Franny, but she would nurse each of her sons at least once a day so that she could experience the bonding with them that she felt as she fed her daughter.
Once Franny was full, Lizzy marvelled as her William put some cloths on his shoulder then took their daughter and placed her on his broad shoulder. He held her upright and gently patted her back until she had a very satisfying belch, then seemed to be trying to take in her surroundings. He settled her in his arms and gently rocked her as she drifted off to sleep. Once he had returned the infant to her cradle, he instructed the on-duty nursemaid to have each of their children’s names written on the card attached to each cradle. He returned to find his wife fast asleep so he called the nurse back in, gently kissed his wife’s forehead, then retired to his chambers.
He chuckled as he felt the true joy of a new father looking forward to decades with his wife and children. Decades meant that towers needed to be erected. Franny’s would be started on the morrow.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
When Elizabeth finally woke up, she knew it was late due to the low angle of the sun. She shook the sleep out of her system and looked around, seeing her maid sitting and chatting with the day nurse; she next saw her beloved husband and her mother talking quietly. Darcy sensed that his wife was awake and was at her bedside in an instant, followed only a little more sedately by her mother.
“Oh, Lizzy, I love the names of all three of your children. If I am not careful, I will start crying again at the thought of them. I am so honoured that you named little Franny for me,” her mother held her hand tightly. ‘Who would have thought that the daughter that used to be my least favourite would name a daughter after me. Thank you, God, for giving me the ability to change and to see what a wonderful gift my second daughter really is,’ the countess thought as she looked at her second daughter with love shining from her eyes.
“Let us see if any of my sisters can bring three babes into the world,” Elizabeth teased. “The time of Bennet women not bearing sons is over, Mama! Are not my little Lords darling?”
“They certainly are, Lizzy. I am so very proud of you. I got my wish as well for you now have a little Lizzy in Franny.” She kissed her daughter’s forehead as Darcy chuckled as he looked at the two side by side.
The Countess of Pemberley was examined by Sir Frederick and pronounced out of danger. She ate a light dinner after which her husband asked everyone to give them some privacy so she could rest as it was very important for her to regain her health. When she was awake, the family took turns to come visit her and the babes. Now that the Darcy three were named, notifications were sent to friends and family, as was a notification provided to the papers.
Invariably when awake, all three of the babes were in the Darcy’s chambers being admired by the family. Four days after the birth, friends from the neighbourhood led by Sir William and Lady Lucas, started to come to visit. A few days after the announcements in the papers, a letter was received from the Queen congratulating them on behalf of her family.
News of the birth of an heir to Pemberley and his brother and sister spread like wildfire once the express with the announcement was received by the butler at Pemberley, who shared it first with the housekeeper, who wept tears of joy that mother and babes were all well. All of the servants were told and notifications sent to the tenants; it was not long before the good news was conveyed to the surrounding community. The news brought great joy and relief for their community as so many were dependant for their livelihoods on Pemberley and the Darcy line’s continuation.
Life settled into a comfortable pattern of time spent with the children and visits with the family and neighbours. Lady Longbourn’s sister, Hattie Phillips was there so often she came very close to taking up residence at Longbourn, as she was very much enamoured with her great nephews and great nieces, all receiving her effusive approbation.
Inside of a sennight after the birth, Lady Elizabeth Darcy felt strong enough to get out of her bed and walk the halls. After her walk, Sir Frederick examined her ladyship one more time and announced her perfectly healthy and proclaimed that she could return to her normal level of activity, to include walking and riding, as soon as she felt able. The accoucheur and his three nurses departed Longbourn the next morning to return to Town with many thanks from the family and each with a substantially heavier purse.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Several days after the birth of their children Elizabeth woke up and was entranced as she watched her beloved husband in a deep and peaceful sleep. Now that his worry for her and their babes was alleviated, serenity had spread across his features, the upturn of his lips was almost a permanent smile, his dark, wavy hair curled over his forehead now quite fascinated her. The Countess’s lips formed a warm smile as she reflected on his peacefulness. He stirred and she backed away quickly then his eyes opened and locked onto hers.
Since his wife was no longer on bedrest, Darcy asked Longbourn’s rector to conduct the christening on the following day. Richard and Jane Fitzwilliam were named godparents of the heir, Lord Bennet Alexander Fitzwilliam Darcy, Mary and Hugh Rhys-Davies were asked to be godparents of Lord George Thomas Fitzwilliam Bennet-Darcy, while Lady Frances Anne Elizabeth Darcy gained Andrew and Marie Fitzwilliam as godparents.
After the christening, the Fitzwilliams headed back to Bennet Fields to prepare for their return to the North now that Jane was able to travel and Elly was strong enough to endure the journey. The very proud aunts, Kitty, Lydia, and Helen returned to school in Town. The Duke, Duchess, Marquess, and Marchioness all headed back to their estates while the De Melvilles and Gardiners went back to Town. Now that most of the family had departed and the house was much quieter, all of the callers were from the neighbourhood.
Seeing that Lady Georgiana was the only one in her age group in residence, she became friendly with Maria Lucas who was of the same age. Georgiana was a very good influence on the younger Lucas daughter who after watching Lydia and Kitty from the fringes had finally decided that it was time for her to start maturing and acting more in line with those closest to her.
The Darcys needed more time than the Fitzwilliams before they were ready to depart Longbourn due to the longer recovery period that the Countess of Pemberley had required.
By the middle of April, the Bennets returned from Easter at Rosings Park with the Ashbys who wanted to visit the Darcys at Longbourn. There had been a plan for all of the family to hie to Rosings Park for Easter, but Anne understood that Richard and Jane and her Darcy cousins could not join them with their new-borns. The rest of the Fitzwilliams, Lord and Lady Longbourn, and the three unmarried daughters with Georgiana Darcy went and had a very enjoyable Easter with Anne and Ian. Lord and Lady Granville had joined them, as did the rest of the Ashbys. Lady Sarah had found it a little disheartening that she was not yet with child, but she was sure that her time would come.
With the stops needed to feed the triplets, the return to Pemberley took a little under four days. On the fourth day of travel in the late afternoon the carriages and cart passed the welcoming gates of Pemberley, bringing the two baby viscounts and their sister to Pemberley for the first time. The gatekeeper, hat in hand, bowed low in reverence to the returning family. Just after he closed the gate, he fired the two shots to send the waiting groom hurtling toward the manor house.
By the time the carriages stopped moving, Mrs Reynolds, Mr Douglas and all of the Pemberley servants were lined up waiting for the family to alight. There was no misunderstanding, they were there to see the Darcy three.
Lord Ben was held by his proud Papa, Lord George by his Mama and Georgie had the honour of holding Lady Franny. Once the head servants were introduced to the three, the Darcys waited patiently as the rest of the servants filed by to get a glimpse of the miracles that the master and mistress had brought home. Not long after, the children were in the nursery under the watchful eyes of their nursemaids and wet nurses. Lady Franny was no longer notably smaller than her brothers so their Mama fed each one for a day in rotation.
Later that evening after Elizabeth had fed Ben and before the three were put down for the night, the Earl and Countess were standing on the balcony attached to their suite looking out on a warm and clear summer night enjoying a light, cooling breeze. They could not have been happier and more in love if they could have attempted to invent more reasons.
“William?” Elizabeth looked up at her husband.
“Yes, my love?” he gave her a quizzical look knowing that she had something that she wanted to say, but no idea what it was.
“Could you imagine where we would be if you had not changed or I had been too stubborn to give you another chance? Look at our family, I could not fathom a world without our darling sons and daughter in it, and but for just a decision or two different that we made, they may not have been with us,” she opined softly.
“Now my love, did we not promise to no longer regret the past and look forward?” he asked as he kissed his wife, reminding her of his love.
“We did. Am I not allowed to be grateful for what wedohave?” she asked as she arched an impertinent eyebrow.
